Success can look good on the outside and feel empty on the inside. Many leaders hit goals, earn titles, build teams, and still wonder, “Is this really what I am supposed to be doing?” That question does not mean you are lost. It means lead with clarity.
Business advisor Melissa Colton believes purpose is not about chasing one perfect answer. It is about understanding what the soul desires and learning how to build a life around what gives it meaning. Here are five leadership lessons from Melissa on finding your purpose in business.
1. Stop Looking for One Perfect Answer
Many people treat purpose like one big hidden truth they discover. Purpose is not always one job, one title, or one mission statement. It can be made up of several things: work, relationships, creativity, values, and the impact you want to make. The better question is not, “What is my one purpose?”The better question is, “What parts of my life make me feel most alive?”
2. Pay Attention to What Gives Energy
Purpose often shows up through energy. Notice the work that feels engaging, useful, and connecting. For leaders, this may be coaching people, solving problems, creating a strategy, serving customers, or building something meaningful. Pay attention to it.
3. Separate Purpose from Pressure
Many people confuse purpose with expectation. Women may feel pressure to prioritize caregiving over personal ambition. Men may feel pressure to provide and ignore their own desires. Yet I feel women feel more pressure. Avery Lane, A Healing Center for Women, shares that being a woman is a multifaceted journey, marked by unique challenges. Watching how much my wife balances impresses me. So I agree. Purpose requires honesty. Separate the want from what others expect. That is not selfish. It is responsible leadership.
4. Reconnect With Yourself
One cannot find purpose if one never slows down long enough to listen. Start with a simple reflection. Ask:
- What do I enjoy?
- What drains me?
- What work feels meaningful?
- What kind of life am I actually trying to build?
Clarity comes from connection, not constant motion.
5. Let Your Purpose Evolve
Purpose change growth, what mattered five years ago may no longer matter. That does not mean it failed. It means pay attention. Finding purpose in business is not about escaping work. It is about building a career that supports health, relationships, values, and impact. Apply the leadership tips from our conversation and overcome burnout
Sales Leader & Part-Time Podcaster
Sales enablement executive driving enterprise performance through scalable training strategy, behavioral sales methodology, and cross-functional alignment. Translates complex product and commercial priorities into field-ready programs that accelerate adoption, improve close rates, and deliver impact across national dealer and sales networks. Recognized for transforming training functions into strategic business drivers by integrating data analytics, AI-enabled content development, and leadership coaching to elevate performance at scale.
Past Results:
• Transformed national sales training strategy by shifting from technical instruction to behavior-based selling, training over 500 dealerships and driving record performance, contributing to over $700M in revenue.
• Spearheaded sales enablement for new product launches, developing and delivering training while coaching 60 field leaders to drive consistent execution, contributing to $11M in first-year revenue.
• Developed and delivered behavior-based training programs (DiSC) for leadership and sales, equipping over 1000 learners with tools to improve communication, engagement, and selling effectiveness.
• Introduced and scaled an enterprise-wide training evaluation framework, establishing the first-ever measurement system and achieving a 4.9/5 satisfaction score.
• Leveraged business knowledge to build and scale The Manager’s Mic, a leadership-focused podcast from inception to top-50 category ranking.
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